Whether you’re looking for that work-study position that rounds out your financial aid or a part-time job that’ll earn you some extra cash, here are eight of your best-paying options, both on and off campus.
1) Computer Lab Assistant (on-campus)
Typical Hourly Pay: $8–$11
Good news for computer geeks: If you know your way around basic hardware and applications, you’re comfortable with printer hookups and toner changes, and you’ve got a knack for troubleshooting, you may be able to land a gig at your campus computer lab helping your fellow students. The better your tech skills, the higher your pay will usually be. And as long as everything’s running smoothly, you’ll generally have a lot of downtime to get some studying done while you’re on the clock.
Computer Support Specialist (off-campus)
Average Hourly Pay: $21.78
If you’re really a computer whiz and can talk people through most hardware or app problems, consider looking for an off-campus job as a computer support specialist, answering customers’ questions about things like e-mail, installation, and printing. Average pay for these positions last year was an impressive $21.78 an hour.
2) Administrative / Personal Assistant (on- or off-campus)
Average Hourly Pay: $19.57
The work may not sound glamorous, but administrative assistants have some of the highest-paid hourly jobs out there. Execs and entrepreneurs frequently pay good money for reliable, trustworthy part-time talent to help them with their busy lives. As a personal assistant, you’ll need to be flexible, accommodating, and ready for anything: You might be in an office, making travel arrangements, helping with paperwork, or you might be out and about, running errands, dropping off dry-cleaning, picking up lunch, and pet-sitting.
On campus, deans and department heads often need an executive or administrative assistant to help with preparing reports, scheduling meetings, arranging conference calls, and various clerical and reception duties. Look for admin job listings at your school’s career center, in you campus paper classifieds, and on job sites like Craigslist, CareerBuilder, and Monster.
3) Aerobic Instructor / Fitness Trainer (off-campus)
Average Hourly Pay: $15.86
If you’re a workout junkie who’s spending hours in the gym anyway, why not make some good money while you’re at it? Put your workout ethic to use at your campus rec center or at a local gym, and help other people get healthy and in shape.
4) College Mail / Print Center Attendant (on-campus)
Average Hourly Pay: $12–$13
On-campus centers that feature printing, copying, binding, and mailing services are generally found at larger schools. Off-campus, you can find a similar job at places like Kinko’s and AlphaGraphics. Last year, mail clerks earned an average of $12.32 an hour, and so-called “office machine operators” (employees running photocopiers, printers, etc.) made an average hourly wage of $12.85. As an added perk, you may be able to get a discount on those costly print jobs for your large end-of-semester projects.
5) Library Assistant (on- or off-campus)
Average Hourly Pay: $11.42
Sort and shelve books, periodicals, and other materials, and help visitors check out books and operate audio/visual systems, computers, and copiers. This is another job that could give you a good deal of free time to study. The catch is your campus library will probably keep you busiest around midterms and finals, when you’d need the study time most. If your campus library isn’t hiring, try your local public libraries.
6) Bank Teller (off-campus)
Average Hourly Pay: $11.36
About one in four bank tellers work part-time, and although most teller jobs don’t require a college degree, if you’re a finance or accounting major, getting started as a teller now could help pave your way to a higher-level job in the banking or finance industry after graduation. If your school happens to have a campus branch of a national or local bank, you may even be able to score a teller job right there on campus.
7) Desk Attendant (on-campus)
Typical Hourly Pay: $8–$10
With many colleges upping campus security in recent years, schools all over the country are hiring student attendants to monitor those entering and exiting dorms and other campus buildings. If you’re used to pulling all-nighters on a regular basis, the nightshift could be perfect for you: With low foot-traffic in the middle of the night, you’ll have a lot of time to study while earning a paycheck.
Hotel Desk Clerk (off-campus)
Average Hourly Pay: $9.66
Do the job of a desk attendant off-campus and gain some valuable experience for your résumé. If you’re eyeing a career in the hospitality industry, starting as a hotel desk clerk can be a great way to get your foot in the door. The downside is you’ll typically be busier than a campus desk attendant, so you may not have as much time to study, and your manager may not want you absorbed in your econ homework when you’re supposed to be welcoming guests with a smile.
8) Babysitter (on- and off-campus)
Average Hourly Pay: $9.21 for five to nine years’ experience; $7.17 for one to four years’ experience (according to PayScale.com)
Though this job may not pay as well as other on- or off-campus jobs, you’ll usually have plenty of work, especially if you’re dependable and can build a strong customer base off word-of-mouth referrals. Start with your campus newspaper — nearby parents and professors with kids will often advertise here, and the pay can run higher, between $10 and $15 an hour. You can also try Craigslist and community bulletin boards to find off-campus families looking for babysitting services. Get night sitting gigs, and you’ll have plenty of time to study and do homework after the kids go to sleep — assuming, of course, you’re good enough at your job that once you put the kids to bed, you can get them to stay there.
Source: Average hourly pay rates from the May 2007 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates available from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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